A Lokayukta Special Investigation Team (SIT) constituted to probe into illegal mining cases has approached the state government seeking police station status.

The Lokayukta registrar sent a proposal to the state government to give the SIT the power to register FIRs during the investigation.

Lokayukta sources said the government order about the creation of SITs is unclear about this aspect. “The investigation into illegal mining will reveal many important facts. Fresh FIRs may need to be filed based on the findings in the investigation. So the SIT needs police station status,” a senior officer said. He added that there should be no need for the SIT to file FIRs through Lokayukta’s police wing.

“The SIT has prepared a detailed proposal explaining the need for police station status and sent it to the state government through the Lokayukta institute for necessary action. We hope that the state government will agree,” an officer said.

The SIT has also requested the Home Department to sanction Home Guards for it, reasoning that in addition to a sanctioned strength of 193, it may need additional personnel during raids and searches.

According to the government order, the SIT will be headed by an officer of the rank of Inspector General of Police (IGP). The state government has appointed KSR Charan Reddy, IGP, as head of the SIT. Staff appointments and vehicle allotments for SIT are pending. Until the new office premises, located near Hebbal, are made available to the team, the SIT will function out of the Lokayukta office.

According to the government order, the SIT will register cases regarding illegal iron ore mining based on the findings of the second Lokayukta probe report submitted to the state government three years ago. The then Lokayukta Santosh Hegde and his team had submitted two reports on illegalities in the mining industry to the state government.